Do you need a public notary to sign or stamp a document for you? If so, you probably have several questions about the process of acknowledgement and notarization. We'll try to answer some of those questions here:

What sort of documents does a public notary witness?
Public notaries often witness financial documents, like loans and business plans. They witness personal documents, like wills and oaths, as well. They also often witness certificates, titles, and deeds of property. For a full list of the types of documents these professionals may witness, ask a local notary.

Does it cost money to use a notary's service?
Sometimes. An agent may be able to notarize and stamp a financial document, like a loan, for you at your local bank for free. Or, if you can't find a free notary at your bank, you should be able to hire a mobile notary elsewhere for a nominal fee.

What, exactly, does a public notary do?
A notary provides citizens with certified official documents. He or she does this by signing or stamping a document with a seal of approval. Sometimes notaries can also provide you with fingerprints, affidavits, jurats, and other legal acknowledgments.

Is it hard to find a notary?
No. There are many notaries in any given area, and most of them are fairly mobile and are willing to travel to notarize a document. So, if the notary you contact refuses to travel to meet you in a location that is convenient for both of you, you may want to find a different notary.

National Notary AssociationOur association is the main source for all of your notarizing needs anywhere in the nation. Learn more about why certain documents need to be certified and how our members can help you.

Great Lakes NotaryIf you are in need of quick and affordable notary services in the local Dallas area, just try our notary publics. Providing businesses and individuals with the highest quality notary services.

Dfw Legal SupportThe leading Dallas area providers of Notary Public and process services. Our Public Notaries are available to assist court houses, attorneys, and individuals. We are available for mortgage and loan signing 24/7.

Since public notary is a state appointed position, each state has different application and training requirements in order for you to be certified. The states Pennsylvania, Florida, Missouri, Colorado, Montana, Oregon, and California all have mandatory training before you can apply for your notary certificate while North Carolina and Nevada do not allow for online training. Every other state has video training courses available online, but do not require training to become an agent. The only exception is Louisiana, where notaries seem to have more power than in any other state and thus require state required exam.

While yes, all it takes is a document application to get your legal seal in most states, being a public notary has much more responsibility than it may seem. It may be fun to sign your name, stamp your legal fingerprint, and get paid but any mistake you make can end up with you being held personally liable. Say you notarize a financial loan document or a property deed that turns out to be fraudulent. You will end up in trouble with the state and most likely lose your title. If you notarize affidavits as an employee of a business, your employer could be held accountable as well.

With training, you will be able to distinguish false documents from true, witness jurat oaths, and sign your name in acknowledgment of the proper certifications. You and your business associates will rest easier knowing the financial loan or mobile travel documents you authenticated are done correctly.